CanSkate members Adelyn Fontaine and Hadley Parkin, both three years old, wave during a recent practice at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex. Fontaine, Parkin and other members of CanSkate will be participating in the Williams Lake Skating Club’s annual Christmas Showcase coming up Dec. 19 at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex. (Photo submitted)

Total team effort for skating club at Okanagan meet

Williams Lake Skating Club members hauled in some early Christmas presents in the form of medals

“It was definitely the best I’ve ever skated. I was really happy and really relieved I skated such a good program.”

Bailey, also 13, won a silver medal in Star 4 Elements, skated to a gold medal in her solo and was eighth in artistic.

“My solo was probably my best,” Bailey said. “I managed to land both axels, my hardest jump, so that was good.”

By season end, Bailey said she hopes to be able to land her double salchow.

“I just hope to keep getting better as the season goes on,” she said.

“Overall in Summerland, we all did really well. Everyone who could got medals.”

As a team, the skaters said it was one of their best competitions to date, and have now shifted their attention to the club’s annual, beloved holiday tradition in the form of its Christmas Showcase.

The event is coming up Thursday, Dec. 19, at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex beginning at 7 p.m.

It’s a chance for the community to spend an evening out to the sounds of delightful Christmas music as skaters of all ages from the club — from the CanSkate beginners right to its senior members — put on a Christmas performance for the community.

“It’s all free of charge, and I think the community has enjoyed it,” Macnair said of the event, which debuted roughly five years ago as a Christmas-themed showcase.

“Come see what everyone’s been working on and what we’re up to, and the CanSkaters — you’ve got to come see these little ones — they’re three (years old) and they’re cute.”

At the Showcase, club members will be performing group, and solo numbers, among their peers to the stylings of holiday-themed music.

Following the holiday break, competitive skaters will once again be focusing on dialing in their routines and perfecting new skills as they head to Prince George for the CNC Regional Championships Jan. 18-19.

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Williams Lake Skating Club members Camdyn Cochran (front to back), Makenna Boucher, Ivy Matieshen, Chloe Frizzi and Kaelin Mackinnon practice their routine for the club’s upcoming Christmas Showcase on Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex. The event is free to the public, and the community is invited to attend. (Greg Sabatino photo)